Your Coffee Habit Might Actually Be an Asset to Your Health

If your morning, afternoon, or evening isn’t complete without a cup of coffee in your hand, you can breathe a sigh of relief for your health. According to new research, coffee’s health benefits are more extensive than previously thought! It’s possible that your java habit might actually be an asset to your overall wellness. Here’s everything you need to know!

Commonly Known Benefits of Coffee

According to Harvard Medical School, coffee drinkers benefit from reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, cirrhosis, and gout. The connection to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes is especially powerful. Researchers at Harvard identified that drinking coffee increases plasma levels of the protein SHBG, which controls biological activity of testosterone and estrogen. In fact, study participants who increased their coffee intake by more than one cup a day over a four-year period had an 11 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes over the next four years!

New Links Between Heavy Coffee Consumption and Metabolism

A new study now suggests that people who drink a large quantity of coffee on a regular basis may benefit their metabolism more than previously believed. This study of 47 adults found that four to eight cups a day altered blood levels of more than 100 metabolites. Metabolites include a wide range of chemicals that change in response to eating or drinking.

Researchers found shifts in specific metabolites related to the steroid system, which includes cholesterol and hormones, and fatty acid metabolism. High coffee intake also decreased levels of certain metabolites related to the endocannabinoid system, the same one influenced by marijuana.

What’s the Bottom Line?

Researchers are still trying to determine exactly what their findings mean in real life applications, but the message is clear: coffee is not the dangerous and disease-causing drink that it was once labeled to be. In fact, overall studies find that coffee drinkers have lower risks of various diseases than non-coffee drinkers.

Now you can head over to Starbucks without feeling guilt… except perhaps from your wallet. For more help tackling your health and wellbeing in a holistic and comprehensive manner, call (727) 525-0900 to make an appointment with Kavita Rao, Gulf Coast Internist. Located in St. Petersburg, Dr. Rao is committed to providing excellence and compassionate care as an internal medicine doctor.